Last clasp for lasting machines and method of making it



Nov. 25, 1 4. 1,516,485

C. F. ADAMS LAST CLASP FOR LASTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Filed Oct 29 9 2 Sheets-8h."

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Nov. 25, 1 24- 1,516,485

} C. F. ADAMS LAST CLASP FOR LASTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF MAKING IT Filed Oct. 29. 1919 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR CHAR LES F. ADAMS WITNESSES:

ATTORNEY Patented Nov. 25, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES F. ADAMS, OF SWAMPSCOTT, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIG-NOR TO HAMEL SHOE MACHINERY COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

LAST CLASP FOR LASTING MACHINES AND METHOD OF MAKING- IT.

Application filed. October 29, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1. CHARLES F. ADAMs, a citizen of the United States, residing at Swampscott, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts. have invented cer tain new and useful Improvements in Last Clasps for Lasting Machines and Methods of Making Them, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to machines for lasting boots and shoes and especially to that type known as bed lasters wherein the toe or heel of the shoe is held under pressure during the lasting operation against a suitably formed support commonly comprising a flexible member adapted to embrace the end portion of the shoe and provided with a pad or cushion. By relative movement under pressure of the pad and the upper leather of the shoe the latter is strained tightly over the end of the last and firmly held during the wiping operation. As the pad is necessarily shaped to snugly fit the end of the shoe, and as the toes of right and left shoes are unlike in contour, (the toes being unsymmetrical about the front-to-rear axis of the shoe) it has been common in the past to provide right and left toe pads for use in lasting right and left shoes, respectively.

The present invention seeks to avoid the necessity for employing two separate toe pads by providing a single pad which is readily adaptable for use with either right or left shoes. Such use of the pad is made possible by forming it symmetrically with respect to a central horizontal plane, so that when turned upside down it is stillcapable of use but with the opposite shoe.

In machines of the above type, the pad supporting member is flexible and commonly consists of a link chain. Various means have been devised for detachab-ly securing the pad to the chain, the present invention comprising a novel means for securing the pad to the chain which is regarded as especially advantageous in that the pad is socurely held against accidental displacement while at the same time it may be readily detached for reversal without the use of tools.

The present invention further provides pad-attaching means of a type which permits slight longitudinal adjustment of the Seriall No. 334,163.

pad relative to the flexible support whereby the pad is enabled to adapt itself under pressure to the exact form of the shoe. For this purpose the attaching means comprises slidably-guided, spring-pressed, pad-engagmg elements of novel form and arrangement.

As it is at times desirable to adjust the height of the central portion of the pad to take up wear or for other reasons the present invention comprises an adjustable support for the pad herein disclosed as a vertically movable plate supported at the central portion of said flexible member and having a screw adjustment.

Other and further objects and advantages of the present invention will be hereinafter more fully described in the following specification and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, reference being had to the annexed drawings as disclosing a preferred embodiment thereof and in which Fig. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the toe pad removed from the machine;

Figs. 2, 8 and 4 are detail views illustratingd the process of manufacture of the toe P 5 Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view of the toe pad and the flexible support therefor;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 5; Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views illustrating the devices for securing the toe pad to its flexible support;

Fig. 9 is a vertical cross section; and Fig. 10 is a fragmentary front elevation of the central part of the flexible support showing in detail the device for adjusting the central part of the pad;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the lower plate of one of the usual lasting heads showing the supporting means for the pad and the adjusting mechanism therefor, the pad illustrated in this view being'a slight modification of that shown in Figs. 1 and 5;

Fig. 12 is a ,front elevation of the pad shown in Fig. 11 with its adjusting means.

In the drawings, P indicates generally the toe pad. In the formation of this pad two strips or bands of leather, such as shown in Fig. 2 are first prepared, the flesh side of said strips being skived out, as shown at 2 (Fig. 3) to form a shallow groove or concave face, one of these strips being also grooved, as shown at 3 along its central longitudinal axis on the grain side.

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The two strips having thus been prepared are coated with cement on their flesh surfaces, which surfaces are then placed in contact, and the composite structure thus formed is subjected to pressure or hammering whereby it is given the contour illustrated in vertical section in Fig. 4. The two strips are then bent into substantially U form from end to end and further united by means of a line of stitches l, which on one side of the composite structure are seated within the groove 3.

After the sewing of the device as above described, one or more filler members may be cemented to the outer side thereof, this filler member as illustrated in Fig. 1 being placed unsymmetrically with respect to the central axis of the device. Subsequent to the attachment of the filler member 5, a cover strip 6 is secured over the filler member as by means of nails or pegs 7-and the completed device is subjected to heavy pres-- sure to give it its final form, as illustrated in Fig. 1. In the ends of the pad thus formed are formed a pair of recesses or openings 8 substantially centrally thereof for a purpose which will be hereinafter de scribed.

By the above process, it will be noted that while the pad is unsymmetrical about an axis extending from front to rear thereof, and is thus adapted for use in lasting the toe of a shoe which is similarly unsymmetrical, yet by reason of the symmetrical formation of the pad about the central horizontal plane indicated at a-a, Fig. 4, the pad may be turned upside down to adapt it for use with the other shoe of the pair, thus avoiding the necessity of employing two separate pads for right and left shoes as is common at the present time.

Referring now to Fig. 11, 10 indicates thebottom plate of a lasting head such as is illustrated in the patent to Chase, 37 6,368, Jan. 10, 1888,.this plate being provided with suitable slideways for the reception of bars 11, 12 to the forward ends of which are pivoted at 13, 1d: a. pair of swinging arms 15, 16, said arms moving freely within pockets 17, 18 in the forward portion of the plate 10. The rear ends of the bars 11, 12 are formed with beveled faces 11", 12 adapted to engage inclined cam surfaces 5, 0, respectively, formed in a plate a which is transversely slidable in a slot in the plate 10, the plate a being arranged for transverse adjustment by means of a screw 7" having threaded engagement with the plate 10 and provided with a collar engaging a flange 6 depending from the plate a. The screw 7' is provided with a knurled head 9, whereby it may be turned for adjusting the plate a thereby, through the action of cam faces 7), 11, providing for the fronttorear adjusiment of the lasting pad.

The arms 15 and 16 are furnished with inwardly directed portions to which are pivoted by means of pins 19, 20, respectively, a pair of blocks 21, 22, said blocks being pivoted to or constituting the end links of a link chain 23, such as is commonly employed in machines of this type for supporting the lasting pad.

By reason of the mounting of the chain 23 upon the swinging arms 15, 16, the last ing pad is enabled to automatically adjust itself laterally in accordance with slight variations in the shoe being operated upon, while the front-to-rear adjustment of the pad by means of the screw f is of value in determining the amount of wiping action of the wipers commonly employed in machines of this type but not herein illustrated.

The blocks 21, 22 serve to support the forward ends of the pad P, and for this purpose are constructed as followsz-As illustrated in Fig. 7, these blocks are each formed on their outer faces with channels or guideways in which channels are mounted for sliding movement the dogs 24, the outer ends of said dogs being bent at right angles, as shown at 25, to extend toward one another, the extremities of said bent portions being again bent rearwardly, as shown at 26, sharpened to provide spurs 27, such rearwardly bent portions with their spurs constituting beaks adapted to engage within the openings 8 of the toe pad for securing the latter in position. The dogs 24-, by a positive gripping engagement with the opposite extremities of the pad, are caused to maintain a fixed relation to and lengthwise of the latter, and to adjust themselves upon the respective blocks of the chain or backing support correspondingly with the working position of the'pad upon such support. The outer surface of each of said members 24. is formed with a semi-circular channel 29 having a closed rear end forming an abutment 28 and within which channel lies a spring 30 (see Figs. 7 and 8). 31 is a cover plate also provided with a semi-circular channel for the reception of spring 30, one of such cover plates being secured to each of the respective blocks 21, 22 by means of screws 33, the outer ends of said channels being closed, these forming an abutment as shown at 32.

The opposite ends of springs 30 bear against the respective abu-tments 2S and 32 whereby the members 24- are drawn rear wardly under spring tension. In inserting the pad P one end thereofis placed against one of the beaks of a member 24 with the beak entering the opening 8 and the opposite member 241- is then drawn forwardly sufficiently to permit its beak to snap into the opposite opening of the pad, the arrange ment of parts being such that under normal liit) conditions both of the members 2& will be drawn slightly forward so that both springs 30 will be under compression. With this arrangement of parts, it is evident that if pressure be applied to the pad P unsymmetrically, the pad will be free to adjust itself slightly in a longitudinal direction with respect to its supporting member 23, and by reason of the engagement of the beaks with the openings 8, the pad is securely held in proper operative position, while at the same time the operator can easily separate the pad from the holding means for reversing the pad in changing from right to left shoes, or vice versa.

As it is desirable at times to adjust the rear central portion of the pad in a vertical direction to take up wear, or for other reasons, the present invention provides the rear central portion of the chain with a special link 38 (see Figs. 9 and 10) having a downwardly and forwardly directed bracket 34. This bracket is provided with a pair of laterally spaced openings in which are guided pins 35, 36, to the upper ends of which is attached a plate 37 upon which the central portion of the pad may rest. The bracket 3% is also provided with a central threaded opening with which is engaged a screw 88 operative edgewise of the pad and having a head 39 by which it may be turned, the plate 37 resting upon the upper extremity of said screw. By turning the head 39,'it is evident that the plate 37 may be adjusted vertically or edgewise whereby the height of the pad may be regulated. 40 indicates the usual guiding support for the central portion of the chain, such support be ing received within a suitable slot in the plate 10.

In Figs. 1 and 5 the pad hasbeen illustrated as having all of its component parts, except the filler member, of substantially the same length, but in Fig. 11 a modification of this arrangement is shown in which the outer cover member 6 of the pad is shown as of less length than the inner 1116I11- bers thereof, whereby the engaging beaks of the members 24 are guarded from contact with the surface of the shoe, the inner members overhanging said beaks as shown at all.

\Vhile certain features of the invention, as hereinbefore described, are particularly adapted for embodiment in a toe pad, it is to be understood that the invention is not restricted thereto, but that many features thereof are equally valuable as applied to either the toe or heel pads.

Having thus now described the invention and a preferred embodiment of the same what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is,---

1. In a lasting machine, the combination a flexible member constructed and ar ranged to conform to the shape of the end of a shoe, a shoe engaging pad and means for securing said pad to said flexible member, said means comprising a resilient element arranged lengthwise of said pad.

2. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising a concave flexible backing support, and a pad, constituting a rest for a shoe in lasting, fitted therein, said flexible backing having resilient means at its extremities in holding engagement with the end faces of said pad.

3. In a machine of the class described, the combination, of a flexible backing member, a shoe engaging pad and means for con necting said pad and backing member permitting relative endwise movement thereof, said means comprising a resilient element yieldable to allow such movement.

4. In a lasting machine having end lasting means, in combination, a flexible member arranged to embrace the end of a shoe, a shoe engaging pad for said flexible member, and means connecting said pad and member and permitting relative endwise movement thereof, said means serving normally to maintain said pad in central posi tion with respect to said member.

5. In a lasting machine, the combination of a flexible member adapted to conform to the end of a shoe, a facing pad for said flexible member and connecting means between said pad and flexible member permitting relative endwise movement thereof, said means comprising a pair of oppositely acting resilient elements.

6. In a machine of the class described, the combination of a flexible member conformable to the end of a shoe, a facing pad for said flexible member and an element slidably mounted upon said flexible member and gripping and thereby maintaining fixed relation with said pad for retaining the latter in operative relation to said flexible member.

7. In a lasting machine, in combination, a substantially U-shaped flexible member conformable to the end of a shoe, a facing pad for said flexible member, and elements slidably mounted upon the flexible member adjacent its respective extremities and gripping and thereby maintaining fixed relation with the opposite extremities of said pad for retaining the latter in operative relation to said flexible member.

8. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising a concave backing support, and a pad constituting a rest for a shoe part in lasting and fitted to said backing support, said backing support having members spring pressed lengthwise of said backing support at its extremities engaging with, and press ing yieldingly against, the ends of said pad to retain the same in operative relation to the support while permitting limited relato retain the same yieldingly in operative relation to the support while permitting limited relative shifting of the pad for selfadjustment with reference to the shoe seated therein.

10. In an end lasting machine having, in combination, a flexible support conformable to the end of a shoe and a facing pad there for, means for relatively securing said pad and support in operative relation comprising channeled blocks secured at the opposite extremities of said flexible support, a member slidable within the channel of each of said blocks, said members having padengaging beaks, and means for retaining said members Within said channels.

11. In a lasting machine, in combination, a link chain conformable to the end of a shoe, and means for connecting a facing pad to said chain comprising slotted blocks attached to opposite extremities of said chain, pad engaging dogs slidable in the slots of said blocks each of said dogs having a longitudinal channel in its free surface, removable cover plates having channels complemental to said first named channels, said pairs of channels together forming pockets, a spring seated in each of said pockets, and means for securing said cover plates to the respective slotted blocks.

. 12. Apparatus of the kind described, comprising a concave flexible backing support, a pad therefor constituting a rest for a shoe part in lasting, said pad fitting in said support and being held at the ends thereof, and an adjusting screw carried by said backing and operative upon and edgewise of an intermediate portion of said pad to adjust the same and take up wear.

13. In an end lasting machine, in combination, a link chain arranged to embrace and conform to the shape of the end of a shoe, a facing pad for said chain, means for securing said chain and pad at points adjacent their respective ends, and means for relatively adjusting said pad and chain at their central portions comprising a lip extending from a link of the chain to a point substantially below the central part of the pad, and an adjusting screw having threaded engagement with an opening in said lip and contacting at its upper extremity with a vertically movable support for the lower edge of the pad.

' 14;. As an article of manufacture, a flexible upper engaging pad for end lasting machines, said pad being shaped differently at opposite sides of an axis extending from front to rear thereof and being reversible for" use with right and left shoes.

15. In combination, a flexible metallic backing and an end lasting pad removably applied thereto and comprising a plurality of connected elements of pliable material, two of such elements being united together by stitching.

16. As an article of manufacture, a flexi ble pad for use in end lasting machines, said pad being provided with recesses substantially centrally of its extremities for engagement by suitable securing means.

17. As an article of manufacture, a flexible pad for end lasting machines, said pad comprising a plurality of connected strips of material and being provided adjacent its extremities with recesses for engagement by suitable securing means, one or more of said strips extending beyond said recesses to protect the shoe from contact with said securing means.v

18. The process of making pads for use in end lasting machines, which comprises preparing two strips of material of substantially equal length and width, skiving each of said strips upon one side to reduce the thickness of the central portion thereof from end to end, laying said skived surfaces in contact and uniting said strips.

19. The process of making lasting pads which comprises preparing two like strips of leather by skiving the flesh sides thereof to reduce the thickness of their central portions from end to end, forming a central longitudinal channel in the grain side of one of said strips, coating the flesh sides of said strips with adhesive, laying said coated sides in contact and uniting said strips by a series of stitches, said stitches at one side of the united strips lying within said channel.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

CHARLES F. ADAMS. 

